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Person Alexander Cunningham
Asked 3 times across 2 UPSC exams over 7 years (2016–2023), peaking in 2021.
Key insights
- Most tested in EPFO — 2 of 3 PYQs
- Most asked in 2021
- Recurs across 3 years (2016–2023)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
EPFO 2016 → CDS 2021
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (3 of 3) are since 2016.
Related concepts
Ideas UPSC tests alongside this one — keep exploring.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
EPFO2023
Which one among the following pertaining to the works of Nineteenth-Twentieth Century archaeologists is not correct?
- A Alexander Cunningham, the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India, was of the view that the history of India began with the origins of the Indus Valley Civilization. ✓
- B John Marshall generally adopted the method of excavation along regular horizontal units and ignored the stratigraphy of the site.
- C R. E. M. Wheeler first recognized the necessity to follow the stratigraphy of the mound rather than dig along horizontal lines.
- D Amalananda Ghosh was the first to identify similarities between pre-Harappan and mature-Harappan cultures.
✓ Correct answer: (A)
History › Ancient India
CDS2021
The location of the ancient city of Taxila (Takshshila), mentioned in ancient Indian texts, was identified by
- A Alexander Cunnigham ✓
- B R.D. Banerji
- C John Marshall
- D Daya Ram Sahni
✓ Correct answer: (A)
History › Ancient India
EPFO2016
Who was the first Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India?
- A John Marshall
- B Alexander Cunningham ✓
- C Mortimer Wheeler
- D Francis Buchanan
✓ Correct answer: (B)
History › Modern India (1757–1857)
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